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| African Commemoration of the first UN Global Road Safety Week ECA Press Release No. 07/2007 Addis Ababa, 19 April 2007 (ECA): The first United Nations Global Road Safety week will be commemorated around the world from 23 to 29 April 2007 under the theme: “Young road users” . The events of the week will contribute to raising awareness about the impact of road traffic injuries and serve as a launching pad for new and effective road safety initiatives in the years ahead. Studies show that Africa records 28 deaths per 100,000 population, making it the highest in the world. Road accidents also exact an enormous toll on the economic resources of the continent, accounting for an estimated 2 per cent of the region's GNP (approximately USD $10 billion), mainly for the importation of medicines, hospital equipment, vehicle spare parts, and other needs. The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is partnering with the Ethiopian Health Ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO) in the commemoration of the road safety week in Ethiopia, through various activities including panel discussions among youth, competitions on road safety issues as well radio and TV talk shows. These activities are expected to help promote action around factors with the greatest impact on road traffic injuries such as: drink-driving and excessive speeding. ECA has played a lead role on road safety issues for more than two decades. The Commission organized the First African Road Safety congress in 1984 in Nairobi, in collaboration with Nordic countries. More recently ECA and WHO co-convened the African Road Safety Conference in Accra, Ghana, from 5-8 February 2007, to review progress in improving road safety on the continent. The Conference highlighted the vital link between action on road safety and achievement of wider development objectives. Background The UN General Assembly directed UN agencies and Regional Commissions, in its resolution 58/289 of 2004, to assist in addressing the global road safety crisis. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), road traffic injuries could rank third among causes of death and disability in Africa by 2020, ahead of malaria and HIV/AIDS. Issued by the ECA Information and Communication Service Tel: 251 11 5445098
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